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Mike Williamsâ future with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hasnât been completely resolved after being stabbed in the thigh over the weekend, but the teamâs head coach indicated that the troubled wide receiverâs job is safe for now.
(Frank Ordonez | The Post-Standard)

Bucs coach Lovie Smith told reporters in Orlando at the NFL owners meetings that he will withhold further comment on Williams until they meet.

"I don't believe a guy should get a death sentence on one infraction," Smith told reporters. "I made the statement I'm not going to kick someone off the team based on being a victim, from what I was initially told. But again, you don't get a life sentence on one incident. I look for a pattern. If a player shows a pattern of behavior that we don't feel like we want displayed by our Tampa Bay Buccaneers, then more drastic measures come into play. I'm not to that point right now.''

According to the Times, one witness said an argument and physical altercation led to Baylor stabbing Williams with a paring knife. Another witness said Baylor damaged WIlliams' Bentley automobile.

"Mike wasn't the aggressor, but I guess he was a little upset about that and he told him to get out," said William Carter, 39, who was in Williams' home cleaning carpets at the time of the stabbing.

The stabbing is the latest in a string of off-field issues for Williams, who also faces misdemeanor charges of trespass and criminal mischief and has a court date scheduled Thursday.

Williams missed the final 10 games of 2013 with a hamstring injury.

"Everything is factored in,'' Smith told reporters. "I'm coming in. I think the advantage of starting fresh is I'm not going to judge players an awful lot based on what they've done before. If they're on our football team right now, and they come in and say it's a new day and they want another chance to do some things the right way, that's what I'm going to go with.

Follow Nate Mink on Twitter @MinkNate and Google+ or email him at nmink@syracuse.com.